Perfect Pan Pizza: Square Pies to Make at Home, from Roman, Sicilian, and Detroit, to Grandma Pies and Focaccia [A Cookbook]

by Peter Reinhart

An in-depth guide to pan pizza from baking authority Peter Reinhart, including achievable recipes for making Detroit-, Sicilian-, and Roman-style pan pizzas and focaccias in a home oven. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY FOOD NETWORKThis new book from bread legend Peter Reinhart is a lushly photographed ode to the pan pizza, a doughy, crispy, crowd-pleasing version of everyone's favorite food that is easy to make in a home oven without specialty equipment like stones and peels. Starting with recipes for three master doughs that can be made with commercial yeast, as well as a brief intro to sourdough starters, Perfect Pan Pizza illustrates how to make several styles of pan pizza including Detroit-style "deep pan" pizza, focaccia and schiacciata, and Roman and Sicilian styles through step-by-step photographs. The pizzas include classic toppings like pepperoni and mushrooms, as well as an exciting variety of recipes like the sandwich-inspired Philly-style Roast Pork and Broccoli Rabe; Reuben pizza; Bacon and Egg with Tomato and Arugula Pizza; Blue Cheese, Balsamic Onion Marmalade, and Walnut Focaccia; and Rosemary Garlic Potato, Baby Kale, and Prosciutto Pizza Al Taglio. With unique recipes, plenty of informative FAQs for beginners, and a permissive and inspiring tone, this book will appeal to both experienced bread bakers and novice home pizza makers alike.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Italian Literature

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2019

About the author

Peter Reinhart is a master baker, educator, and award-winning author, renowned for his deep exploration of bread and pizza. His books, including The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza, and Bread Revolution, have redefined the way people think about baking. With multiple James Beard Awards under his belt, he is considered one of the most influential voices in the world of bread and artisan baking.
A passionate teacher, Peter serves as a Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University, where he shares his expertise with aspiring bakers. He has also worked as a consultant for major food brands, helped develop innovative baking techniques, and even delivered a TED Talk on the transformative power of bread.
His lifelong quest for the perfect pizza led him on a journey across the U.S. and Italy, documented in American Pie, and continues through Pizza Quest, a blog where he explores the art and craft of pizza-making.
Peter’s work goes beyond recipes—he delves into the history, science, and philosophy of baking, believing that bread is not just food but a metaphor for transformation and discovery. Whether you’re a home baker, a professional, or just someone who loves a good loaf, his books offer inspiration, technique, and a deep appreciation for the magic of fermentation.

Reviews

[Molly]

I actually read through all this, followed the multi-day instructions for pan pizza, and I much prefer the method and results with Joy the Baker's recipe for Detroit-style pizza.

[Penelope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you need a cookbook for pizza, really? Before picking up this book at the library, I would have said no. I was intrigued by the cover, though, and also by the fact that I have childhood memories of eating pizza just like the "grandma" style described in this book, except I knew it simply as "thick crust" pizza. Nostalgia aside, every recipe that I've tried has been amazing and broadened my concept of what really good homemade pizza can be.

What I've made
DOUGH AND SAUCES
- White Flour Dough (new favorite pizza dough recipe AND technique, tbh)
- All Purpose Marinara Pizza Sauce (I was skeptical after tasting the "raw" sauce but WOW this is really good once it's cooked on a pizza)
- Pesto Genovese (I went with the half basil/half arugula variation...yum)
- Herb Oil (I'm not completely sold on this one yet...need to try it on more things)
- Secret Sauce (the "Medium" spicy variation--still has a good kick to it and SO DELICIOUS)

PIZZAS
- Pepperoni Deluxe Pizza (a seriously elevated and delicious pepperoni pizza finished off with dollops of "secret sauce")
- Garlic Lovers' Italian Sausage Pizza (again, it's like a totally elevated and way better version of pizza I already love...it's all in the details)
- Herbed Tomato and Pesto Focaccia (this one turned out slightly soggy from the tomatoes but was still delicious. Great vegan option)
- Grape Tomato and Ricotta Cream Pizza (nice contrast of salt and sweet between the cheese/tomatoes and sweet ricotta cream; not so great as leftovers, though)
- Avocado "Scampi" (sounds weird, I know, but honestly really tasty and the lemon garlic aioli that tops it off is amazingly good...I want to put it on everything now)

I've also "read" this book through (as much as one can read a cookbook) and found it really interesting and educational. Reinhart's technique for stretching and folding dough, and then "dimpling" the dough to prepare it for baking, both result in wonderful crust. Also, do NOT skip out on cubing the cheese and adding half to the dough before it rises. Those chunks of embedded cheese are part of what makes the Detroit-style pizzas so good.

I didn't buy any special pans or other equipment, but had great results baking in my cast iron skillet (just had to increase some of the bake times slightly). Highly recommend this book if you want some creative pizza ideas. I definitely have a few new favorites now.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It turns out I'm more interested in a fast & easy pan pizza isntead of complicated and perfect pan pizza. To each their own!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Reinhart is the bread guy. No, I mean it. Peter Reinhart is THE bread guy. The one who wrote The Bread Baker’s Apprentice as well over ten other books on breads and crusts. Fans of his also know him as a pizza connoisseur. So his latest cookbook, The Perfect Pan Pizza, is natural progression of his previous work.

In this latest book, Reinhart focuses on his favorite part of the pizza: the crust. He has 3 master crust recipes—a white flour dough, a whole grain country-style dough, and a naturally leavened dough (aka sourdough). From there, he gives you recipes that take you around the world, from Sicily to Detroit.

He offers options for sauces and toppings, but he himself admits to using store-bought sauce from time to time, because his focus is the crust. The caveat for all of his homemade crusts is that they take time—to get the flavor developed, they need to be made ahead of time, preferably at least a day in advance (but they can sit in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours, to add a little flexibility in scheduling).

If you’re someone who likes to stick to a tried-and-true recipe, you can choose from Reinhart’s Bacon and Egg Pizza, Reuben, Philly Cheesesteak, White Clams Casino, Motor City Hawaiian, or (as a Kansas Citian, I am drawn to this one) Beef Brisket with Burnt Ends, just to name a few. Or if you’re more of a free spirit in the kitchen, you can just make his crust and figure out the rest on your own.

And for the crust, you get step-by-step instructions with clear photos to help you through every stage of the crust making. He tells you how the dough should look and feel, how to rest it, how to knead it, and how to best spread it in the pan so you will get the best bake on it. Yes, these recipes are just for pan pizzas, but there are still many varieties to try. I strongly recommend this cookbook for anyone who considers themselves a pizza nerd, a foodie, or who just wants to make the best possible pan pizza for family and friends.

[Greg]

I wouldn't buy it. If you're not that familiar with pizza-making and you're interested in making pan-style pies so that you don't have to get involved with a bunch of special pizza equipment, then it might be worth having it as a reference. But if you're already pretty familiar with making home pizza and have other references, then you probably don't need this book taking up space on the shelf.

[Pumpkin+Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't tried 99% of the recipes in this book, but it gave me the exact thing that I wanted from it: the perfect go-to recipe for sourdough pizza crust.

I spawned off of my kid's sourdough starter (named Garth) to make the sourdough starter that this book uses (now named Pizza Garth), and it came together perfectly, although admittedly it's much easier to do this than to rely on a wild yeast starter. The ratios that the book gives for refreshing the starter to various amounts is particularly helpful, and I've been relying on those a lot. You've also got to use visual signals about when the starter needs to be fed and when it's ready to be used, etc., instead of time cues, which, again, I thought the book explained well but, which, again, I'm also fairly familiar with.

I LOVE the pizza that this sourdough starter and the book's sourdough pizza crust recipe makes. It fills a giant sheet pan, which is perfect for my household of four adults who are equally delighted by both fresh pizza and leftover pizza, and the pizza crust is DELICIOUS. Most recently, my family used the crust to make pickle pizza, and our only complaint is that we should have added more pickles!

[Eric Mesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think your satisfaction level with this book will hinge on how you feel about potentially "gimmicky" pizza. I think, given Reinhart's reputation with bread and pizza, it's probably worth the price of admission to get the info around the 3 doughs he recommends for the pizza. He also does a good job talking about the history of the various pizzas in the book. That said, I'm realistically going to probably try a tiny fraction of the recipes here. At least at this point in my life I'm a bit more adventurous about pizza than I used to be, but not spaghetti and meatballs on my pizza adventurous.

I haven't made any of the pizzas in this book yet, but I have made America's Test Kitchen's version of a Detroit-Style pizza and if you haven't tried it yet, you might be surprised at how cool this different style of pizza is.

[Kirk Dobihal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up on New Haven Neapolitan style pizza, so confess a deep bias against pan type pizzas. However, my High School frequently served up Grandma style pizzas that I remember with delicious fondness. P. Reinhart has done it again in this study of pan-art pizza and his rule - flavor rules; so, I can't wait to make the Detroit Red Stripe and the Umberto-Style Grandma pie. Many hints and many recipes to stimulate your pan-pie desires.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book at the library cause I liked the idea of pan pizzas, but these aren’t recipes that you can easily whip together on a regular weeknight. That being said, the crushed tomato sauce recipe is a game changer for homemade pizza in our household and I’m sure the rest of the recipes are equally revelatory if you have the time to dedicate to them.

[bladenomics · Rating 3 out of 5]

For pizza nerds who aren't equipped with fancy deck or ooni ovens and baking stones, this is a pretty handy book. I'd probably use the 3 master dough recipes and try a few sauce recipes apart from which there isn't much for me in this book personally. Peter's passion for perfection in bread and dough is contagious. I feel humbled to give it a rating at all.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting cookbook. I had no idea Detroit pizza was a thing and something different. Now I'm very curious to try it and see how it is compared to Chicago and New York style. His receipes are very unique and not just traditional pizza.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Perfect Pan Pizza. It was simple to understand and there were a variety of pizzas. I haven’t tried any of the recipes, but am looking forward to making some pizza – especially the Detroit-style pizza.

[Josh Fogelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive cookbook covering detroit-style pizza, focaccias, sicilian-style pizzas, and roman-style pizzas. Written in a style that explains the science and history behind the styles of pizza, but easy enough to read and follow along and actually cook the pizzas. Yum

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it a 3.5, but my husband was so excited about the very idea of sheet pan pizza, as well as the crust recipe, that I bumped it to a 4. A good basic to have under your belt.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK Cookbook; but, I did not find much that really interested me enough to try out a recipe. Great photos and clearly written recipes. 3 stars.

[Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice addition to the breads section of my cookbook collection. As a reference volume, well worth the money.

[Stephen Pfohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book elevates the world of cookbooks to new heights

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great cook book for pizza lovers. I was especially happy because it includes directions on using sour dough. I bought the book after reviewing a library copy.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Reinhart did it again. Great read !

[Andressa Da Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I literally never eat pizza outside my house anymore

[JM Gwidt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing earth shattering another baking type book from a guy who specialize in it.

[Ryan Juno · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the sourdough dough recipe

[Tam G · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

I'm not sure this is a must-own, but it is Peter Reinhart, so if you have an interest in Detroit style pan pizza or Foccacia, this is very detailed.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful. Not always aligned with the knowledge I have from actual Italian and Italian American sources, from history to family experience and beyond. Also an odd and repetitive focus on Detroit style without really recognizing that the square thick but not heavy crust was a mainstay of Italian immigrants --- cropping up broadly in communities and carried forward for generations. Briar Hill in Yo. being a prime and continuing example made by actual Italians, not corporate entities. But there were a few good tips, and I am not married to exact old-school methods in today's kitchens if there are good workaround ideas. Worth the sale purchase.